APOGEE STAFF
California’s congressional delegation is nudging the governor to finish the work of his Space Industry Task Force so the state can reap more of the economic benefits that Florida and Texas have enjoyed by establishing space economic development agencies.
In a March 15, 2024, letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom, signed by 41 of California’s 52-member congressional delegation, the authors spell out their state’s many existing “space equities,” saying, “We appreciate your efforts to position California to attract existing companies in this industry, and the countless that will form in the coming years and support continuing efforts to build out California’s space industry.”
Newsom announced the creation of the Space Industry Task Force in 2022. The letter notes that Florida established its economic development agency, now known as Space Florida, more than two decades ago and that Texas created the Texas Space Commission in 2023 with an investment of $350 million. Florida predicts the space industry will contribute $5.3 billion to the state’s economy in the next five years.
The three states are the most populous in the United States and leaders in space-related activity, with Florida and California No. 1 and No. 2 worldwide in the number of total space launches. Texas is home to the Johnson Space Center in Houston and the fast-rising space commerce hub of Austin.